After reading this article, you will be able to identify the basic design principles used by the designer to create a comfortable and non-trivial interior design solution and interior remodeling.
Let’s start at the beginning and understand what interior design is.
- Interior design is a process that creates a feeling of harmonious space through the manipulation of its volume and the different finishes of all its surfaces.
- Interior design is a multifaceted creative practice. That collects and analyzes significant amounts of information, selects and implements a basic conceptual direction with all peripheral local solutions, providing all the necessary graphic documentation.
- The interior designer creatively develops and ennobles the current environment, depending on specific knowledge of ecology, psychology, and the basic rules of architecture. And taking into account the design aspects of all elements of the object, without breaching the harmony of space.
Now that you already have some understanding of interior design. We can familiarize ourselves with the basic principles of creating an interior design.
Unity and harmony.
When creating an interior, you need to think of the house as a single whole space, consisting of separate rooms connected by halls and stairs. As a result, it’s only natural that the overall style and concept pervade the entire home. This does not mean that all interior design elements have to be the same.
Balance.
Balance is also a distribution of attractiveness or visual weight of elements in a space. Three types of balance are defined: symmetrical, asymmetric and radial.
- Traditional interiors are known for their symmetrical balance. You may see this in the interiors of historic houses, for example, when one side of the room is perfectly mirrored on the other. Symmetry in the interior creates a sense of calm and order. This kind of balance resembles the structure of the human body. Which is why we feel comfortable in such a balanced environment.
- Asymmetric balance is important in modern practice. It is achieved with dissimilar items that have the same visual weight or appeal. Asymmetrical balance is more messy and less contrived, but much more time consuming to achieve harmony. Asymmetry suggests the presence of movement and therefore the interior looks more dynamic.
- Radial symmetry is when all design elements are around a single central point. An excellent example of the implementation of radial balance is the usual spiral staircase. Although such a balance is not often in interiors, it may well provide an interesting option to implement if used correctly.
Focus point.
Interior design’s worst enemy is boredom. A well-designed room, depending on its size, always has one or more focal points. The focus should be dominant, drawing attention and arousing the interest of the viewer. Thus, the focal point should make a lasting impression and should become an integral part of the decor, bound by style, color, scale or theme. A fireplace or flat-screen TV is the first thing that comes to mind for most people when we talk about the focal point of a room.
If your space lacks a natural focal point, like a fireplace, you can always create one by focusing on a particular piece of furniture, a work of art, or a contrasting color spot in one area. At the same time, try to maintain balance so that the focus does not divert all attention to yourself.
Rhythm.
We would describe the rhythmic pattern of a piece of music while analyzing it. The essence of rhythm in interior design is the visual repetition of form. Rhythm is famous as an organized repetition or movement. In order to achieve the effect of rhythm in design, you need to think of constructive elements or decor in repetition, progression, transition or contrast. Applying these visual mechanisms will enhance the experience of your space by directing the eye from one design element to another.
- The usage of the same element in space more than once is repetition.
- A progression is a change in one or more of an element’s properties. The most obvious implementation of this technique is the gradation of an element by size. Even placing several candles of different sizes on an ordinary tray is guaranteed to arouse interest with its natural progression. Color can also be used to help with progression. For example, in a monochromatic color scheme, where each element is slightly different from the other by a tint of the same color.
- The transition is more difficult to define. Unlike repetition or progression, the transition tends to be smoother as the eye naturally glides from one area to another. The most common transition is an arched doorway or a winding path where the eye glides smoothly along a curved line.
- Contrast. It’s pretty simple. Placement of elements that contradict each other, such as black and white pillows on the sofa. This is the distinguishing feature of this type of design rhythm.
Scale and proportion.
In interior design, size and shape go hand in hand. Proportion is related to the ratio of one design element to another, or one element to the whole. Scale is related to the size of one object compared to another.